Tyrone at the Football Bat
My friends always accuse me of knowing nothing about professional sports so they all gawked at me as if I’d just done a backflip at the bar when I declared, “I watched a great game on TV last night.” “Give that man a beer on me,” Dave piped up. “I never thought I’d ever hear […]
Ebenezer Scrooginen
A Yooper's Christmas Carol
Ebeneezer Scrooginen (my cousin, Carl’s tightwad uncle) didn’t like funerals and decided to leave early. He might not have showed up at all were he not the executor of his recently deceased partner, Bob Marlinen’s estate. Estate was somewhat of an overstatement since all Marlinen left was some cash, clothing, a beat up Pontiac and […]
We’re Holding Our Own: Tale From The SS Edmund Fitzgerald
written by: Ryan Stephens | Ghosts are forces of nature with unfinished business. They simply have something they need to accomplish before they move on. The water is dark as used motor oil and as cold as ice. Even through my six inch thick diving suit, Lake Superior chills me to the bone. I am […]
Deer Camp Characters
ANY HUNTER IS SURE TO RECOGNIZE SOMEONE THEY KNOW… Marquette, MI – The guys at Carl’s deer camp are a motley assemblage of woodsmen, dedicated to avoiding their jobs and wives for two weeks while they wallow in decadence. This heavily armed contingent of big spenders frequents scores of wilderness taverns as they vigilantly scan […]
I Remember When Our Family Got Our First Dog…
I remember when our family got our first dog. I was hiding behind the water heater during spring break when my kids accosted me. They were looking for Daddy to ask if they could please get one of those darling little German Shepherd puppies So-and-so was selling. We’d gone down this trail before and all […]
Fixing the Vacuum Cleaner
It howled and grumbled like a banshee in a bear trap. Whenever my wife tried to get some work out of it, it squealed a mournful wail that caused the dog to run for cover behind the sofa. This time, I’m talking about my vacuum cleaner, not my lazy cousin, Carl. The ancient beast is […]
Guidelines For Cottaging on The 4th of July
4th of July is a big holiday for my family and friends. Ever year a vary large group of us get together at a friends cottage and party for several days surrounding the holiday. Every year brings new memories and faces. There is a ton of food and drinks brought by everyone and there is […]
Recipes For Disaster!
One Man's Hilarious Journey Into Home Cooking...
Twenty years ago, I couldn’t have cooked a meal without the smoke alarms going off or the dog howling. Somehow, during that time when it became necessary for every adult to go to work, I acquired the majority of our household’s meal preparation responsibilities. I had the skinniest kids in town for a while, but […]
Shack Fever
You Could Be Next...
Winter is upon us once again. Early winter is rather cool; sliding down hills, making snowmen and playing in the snow before it piles up to the rafters. In late winter, people in northern climates tend to experience a variety of neuroses, colloquially termed: shack fever. Not only must we endure the debilitating Arctic air […]
When the Albino Deer Came to Stay at Presque Isle Park
A friend posted a picture of an albino deer today. Just another thing that brings me home. I have never wanted to be home so bad in my life. It made me remember the zoo that was on Presque Isle. Growing up, we would walk around the island, visit the zoo, and stop to get […]
